Happy Turkey Day.... a few hours early....

I know its a little early... but with everything going on tomorrow I figured I should go ahead and post now... I'm not sure if I will get a chance tomorrow or not. But I promise pictures will be coming.... at some point this weekend... ;)

We are going to my aunts house for dinner... I'm bringing Mac and Cheese... and Yams... and that's about it...

This year has been a really good year for us... It started off a little rough... with Austin's diagnosis... It was really a hard time... but thankfully we have an awesome family, and they really supported us.
Things have only gotten better as the year went on...
We started Austin on a treatment with in a month of his diagnosis... so that was fantastic...
In May we took a fantastic vacation back to Fort Walton Beach and we were able to stay in the same place we stayed in when we got married.
In July we started looking into building/buying a house... and now we are about 3 weeks away from moving!!!
I am so thankful for the friends and family we have on our side.
For the prayers that have touched our hearts...
For the people online that I've met, that kept me sane though the diagnosis... both in the SMA community and not... You have all played an important part in my healing after the initial shock...
I'm thankful for the fact that Mike and I are both working, and we have a steady, realiable job.... and that we have made the best with what we have... and we are doing all we can to better our selves.
I'm thankful that SMA has been kind to Austin...
I look at some families, and I almost feel guilty because we have really been blessed... things could be so much worse for him... and I am truly thankful that we have been as lucky as we are...
I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity that we have to get Austin to Salt Lake City... And to the family members (and friends... even some from the internet) that have offered to help us.
I am thankful to the MDA foundation, because of them Austin sees a wonderful pediatric nuerologist who has done great things for him...
I'm thanksful for ms Lisa, she has worked so hard with Austin an thanks to her, we have seen lots of improvement in his strength and endurance...
I am thankful that somehow we made it through two hurricanes with out any real damage... to our trailor... and it didn't really effect the construction of the new house :)

Like I said, we have had a very blessed year! And we've got a lot to be thankful for!!!

I hope that you all have a blessed day and get to spend it with the ones that you love!

Happy Thanksgiving!

What to do about those pesky little monsters

I just love this video...
They are so innocent at this age!

Bumps and Bruises

Austin fell and busted his eye-brow open on the dryer door...

As you can probably tell my the pics he was just devestated...

Honestly he did cry for a little while... but not long at all.. .when I asked if I could take pics of his band-aid, he got all excited! :)

He is doing much better today! and even went back to daycare!!!

Tomorrow is our Thanksgiving dinner at work, I'm looking forward to it. Very much so.... We don't do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner at work, its full of Fried Fish, Boudin Balls, Jambalaya, Chicken Fingers, Vegetable Tray, and Desserts like you wouldn't believe!!!

Yummy!!!! I can't wait!

Wishlist

Ok, so by this time, I have normally put something together for everyone for Austin's Christmas Wishlist... just so people can get an idea...
Honestly, this year, I just haven't really had time...

I am going to post a few things here, that I think he'd really like... or that would come in handy at the house in his new room... As always, don't feel obligated to get any of it... Its just ideas....

Ok, I'll start easy...

Right now Disney Cars is his favorite... so pretty much anything having to do with that would be a big hit!! His room is done in Cars, so here are two things, that would go perfectly in his room:

Cars Bookcase / Toy Bin

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3006526

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2903484

Other shows he really likes:

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Handy Manny

Little Einstiens

Dora the Explorer / Go Diego Go!

The Backyardians

Bob the Builder

Thomas the Train

He is still very into his trucks and cars... and still loves the trains... he also likes his tools... clothes wise, he is in a 2t (or 24months). I guess honestly he is still very much a boy... not a whole lot has changed since last year, as far as his intrests go, except this year, he is more into the characters...

I'd still like to get him a wagon

(for the zoo trips and such since its hard for him to walk to long distances)

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2504259

We chose that one because of the hard canopy features

And now more than ever, outside toys will be nice.

I really want to get him a picnic table...

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2431638

and some kind of playhouse/club house, but that's just out of the picture money wise...maybe for his birthday...

Anyway, I guess that's enough... I hope this helps everyone!

restless night

Austin had a pretty restless night last night...
I was really hoping he would sleep well...
but unfortunately, he didn't...
i got home from Momma's around 11ish... I could hear him in his room whinning a little, but he was still sleeping... so i waited a while t osee if he was goign to wake up... he never did, so I headed to bed about 11:30 or so... He was up at about 12 and then every hour and a half to two hours after that he was awake... and so was I...

He wasn't completely unconsolable... but he was just pretty miserable.. .and restless...

When he woke up at about 6 this morning Mike gave me a break, and got up with him.... I took advantage and slept until about 9ish... Then I rocked him for a while... I managed to sneak away an take a shower... and then headed to the grocery store to get... well... groceries...

I'm home now, and watching the LSU game... austin just decided he's hungry, so I am going to go get him something to eat... I'll post more later.

I got a bo-bo in my ear

Poor Austin...
Not only is he congeseted, with a bad cough and fever, but its now become an ear infection...

We had to bring him to the after hours clinic tonight...
But we've got anitboiticd now... and some motrin....

He's finally asleep... so hopefully we can all get some rest.

Bricks

Here are the two pics I got with my cell phone... not the greatest quality... but hey... its better than nothing ;)

We talked with Kyle (the builder) while we were there, and he is expecting the house to be finished by the third week of December... so we may be moving for Christmas!!

I hope Santa can find Austin... lol

day 3 and counting

Well, Monday was Austin's first day at DayCare in his undies...
and so far ...

NO accidents!

Now Monday, he didn't use the potty at all.. he held it until we got there, and then when me and Mike brought him to the bathroom he finally went...

Tuesday he finally went on the potty at DayCare... so that was a huge step...

We are still going strong!

I am so proud.

We also went to the house today...
It was an impulse trip... not planned at all...

But we have bricks!! It looks amazing!! I took a few pics with my cell phone camera... so I will try to get them off later....

I guess that's all for now!

An Update

I figured its time for an update... I don't really remember when I posted last... So I guess its just time ...

We went last weekend to look at the house and the only thing that had changed was that the stucco was finished... and paited... YAY! The house had been inspected, but unfortunately a wire was moved when they widened a door and it was not corrected... so the electrical didn't pass inspection... The problem was fixed quickly this week... and re-inspected and everything passed... The best news we have walls now!! YAY! There is still a little bit of work that needs to be done to finish them... (the texture and paint) but there are walls! You can really see the house now!!!

We also have been talking about the truck... and about how nervous we were about doubling our daily trip to work... I know that Gas prices are lower now, but what if it goes back up? Nothing is garuanteed to stay where it is... I just don't know how we will afford to drive the truck... and paying that much note on something and not driving it makes me just as sick... Then the thought of having to use the accord to be our primary vehicle really made me sick.. its been acting up and giving us problems... so we were considering trading it in for a car... After talking with our mortagae officer, who assured us that it wouldn't be a problem when it came time to close on the house... We decided to go look... and we ended up deciding on a 2008 Dodge Charger... Seeing as we were upside down on the truck we didn't have many options.. .we had to find something with a really good rebate...

Now here's all the new pictures :) House first and then car :)

Sunday Sunday Sunday...

Well, Its sunday...
I'm sick... or getting that way... My whole head feels like a baloon... Its all cloudy feeling... even my ears feel stopped up... and my throat hurts... I've been coughing and sneezing.... and I've got one of those horrible sinus headaches...

blah... its no fun...

I've been looking on-line to get more ideas for Christmas presents for Austin... :)
I'm so looking forward to the holidays... I'm a little bummed because I don't think we will be in the house for Christmas... but its ok... My real goal was Austin's birthday... I think there is a decent chance that the house will be finished... but I just don't think we will be moved... or even moving... I think we will be waiting for power and water and such things...

We are going out there today :)
I can't wait to see it!

I'm not really sure if anything has changed... but I am still excited about going...
I'll post some pictues later!

Geaux Tigers...Beat ....

SOMEBODY?!?!?!?!

We suck... I just... I dunno...

What happened to them?
I just don't get it...

oh well....
I guess there is always next year?

GEAUX TIGERS BEAT BAMA

Fall Pictures

Tuesday

So, we had our 6 month check up with Dr. Golden... and it went really well. She did talk to us more about seeing Dr. Swoboda. And she still thinks it would be a good thing. She is going to get back in touch with her and get more information from us. We need to get in touch with our insurance company and find out if they will cover it... I'l ladmit I'm a little nervous about that... Its going to cost us an arm and a leg... but I think it would be an awesome expeirence for us.

Dr. Golden said that she thinks because of Austin's stregnth and ablilites it would be more beneficial for the research for him to be seen... She said you don't get to see many kids who are as strong as he is and who continue to gain stregnth like he has... (I know I've read some stories on some pretty amazing kids, so it makes me wonder exactly what she sees in him that is so special). And then we will have the added benefit of being that much closer to the new treatments that will be coming out soon... that Dr. Golden won't have access to...

She also mentioned that he is walking better... he is really bending his knees pretty well now... as long as he is walking... he still swings them a bit when he is running... she also was really impressed at the stregnth he's got in his upper body that he didn't have last time she saw him... (she measures that by holding him up under the shoulders and away from her body...)

Then, of course after wards we had to go down to the hospital and get some blood work done... and our first urine sample... Austin was such a trooper!

After all of that we met Ms. Lisa at a local park. We had such a great time!
I've posted some pictures below.
Austin is getting the whole stair thing down...
and he loves the slides... and we even got him try the swing... but I didn't get any pictures of that... sorry! Now, on to the pics... Enjoy!

Sliding

Ms. Lisa, Austin, and Mike looking for birds

Playing with a stick (or as he calls it a "Tree")

Trying to hit the pinecone with his "tree"

Practicing the stairs

Made it to the top!

Walking across the bridge with Ms. Lisa

And another bridge

Sliding!!!!!

Going again!!

YAY!

Another bridge

Having so much fun.

Driving

Trick or Treat...

We had a blast!

Austin got way too much candy....

but here's the realy reason for the post... I know ya'll want to see the pictures

Here they are... Enjoy!

Austin and Alexis getting ready

Lexi

Mikey carving a pumpkin Watching the carving
Snacking before Trick or Treat

All ready to go

Snow White